Las Vegas - A Thirsty City?

Las Vegas is world-renowned as a city of fantasy, flaunting its reputation for excess. It appears a green oasis of refrigerated plenty, set in a blazing desert. But environmentalists warn water supplies could run dry within the next 50 years; while urban sprawl is out of control and development is encroaching on protected areas. Click here for the full BBC story

However, the important question that needs to be asked is how sustainable is Las Vegas? Should the city be the size it is considering its physical location? What about its use of electricity? You can see the glowing city at night from space? Think about the excess heat being emitted?

Dubai' Atlantis Palm Resort - A mega structure or a mega disaster?

Where is Dubai?

What is Dubai Like?

Atlantis - the Palm Resort

Atlantis - the Palm Resort in Dubai is the majestic focal point of Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that has captured the world’s imagination with its magnificent scale and ingenuity. From the moment of arrival, you’re immersed in a dazzling world of imagination, pleasure and luxury. The resort offers relaxation and thrills for couples and families alike, including a landmark hotel, unique marine habitats, an exhilarating water park, pristine white beaches, world-class cuisine, indulgent spa and cosmopolitan boutiques. To stay or visit is to live out your dreams amidst warm Arabian seas.

Dubai is a place where the world's best architects compete to create the most impressive buildings. Atlantis - the Palm Resort, cost $1.5bn to construct and is the latest expression of the emirate's desire to attract tourists and to maintain the flow of foreign currency.

There are 1,539 rooms, including the Bridge Suite, which unites the two wings of the complex above an arch and will cost £14,000 a night. There is almost a mile of beach; 2 massive pools and a large aquarium featuring stingray, dolphins and sharks. By 2009 the hotel will have its own monorail stop, linking it to the Palm Jumeirah and downtown Dubai.

The key question is how sustainable is Atlantis? If the 20 million pound firework display is anything to go by, not very. Already, pressure is growing to release the 4m Whale Shark from its aquarium. See the story here

You can see from the rest of these pictures that Dubai aspires to be the biggest and the best!

Dubai is currently constructing what will be the world's tallest builing - The Burjdubai. No exact deatils ahve yet been announced as to the actual height of the tower as a means of preventing competition from other countries.

With thanks to Liz Smith for the links to the video

Train tracks to link Asian nations

Train lovers and travel nuts have long had a dream of going from Europe to Singapore by rail.
The journey to the East goes well as far as China, and the upgrading of tracks - sometimes with high-speed trains - is easing passage as far as Hong Kong.
From then on south, the rail buff, and potential cargo carriers, must wait just a few more years.
From south China into South East Asia is a bigger leap than it looks on the map - and not only for trains. Read on at the BBC.

Flat Vs Round? And Still The Debate Goes On...

In the 21st Century, the term "flat-earther" is used to describe someone who is spectacularly - and seemingly wilfully - ignorant. But there is a group of people who claim they believe the planet really is flat. Are they really out there or is it all an elaborate prank?

Farm subsidies - a necessary evil?

Over the last few years, agriculture ministers have been working to dismantle the system of paying farmers subsidies for the food they produce known as the Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP. The BBC discusses further.